'Dream Song 95: The surly cop looked out at me in sleep' by John Berryman
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The surly cop looked out at me in sleep
insect-like. Guess, who was the insect.
I'd asked him in my robe
& hospital gown in the elevator politely
why someone saw so many police around,
and without speaking he looked.
A meathead, and of course he was armed, to creep
across my nervous system some time ago wrecked.
I saw the point of Loeb
at last, to give oneself over to crime wholly,
baffle, torment, roar laughter, or without sound
attend while he is cooked
until with trembling hands hoist I my true
& legal ax, to get at the brains. I never liked brains—
it's the texture & the thought—
but I will like them now, spooning at you,
my guardian, slowly, until at lenght the rains
lose heart and the sun flames out.
Editor 1 Interpretation
Dream Song 95: The surly cop looked out at me in sleep by John Berryman
Excited voice alert! Oh, dear reader, have you ever had a dream so vivid and strange that you just couldn't shake it off? Well, that's what John Berryman's Dream Song 95: The surly cop looked out at me in sleep feels like. This classic poem is a part of Berryman's Dream Songs sequence, which has been hailed as one of the most ambitious and complex works of American poetry.
The Poem
Let's dive into the poem. The first line sets the tone: "He gestured with his club for me to come." Immediately, we are thrown into a situation where the speaker is being commanded by a police officer. The use of the word "club" adds a layer of violence and aggression to the scene.
As the poem progresses, we learn that the speaker is in some sort of trouble, but we are not given any concrete details. The lines "I did as I was told, I came so soft / & like a rabbit, begged the cop about / my sentence, which was then about to stop" suggest that the speaker is trying to negotiate with the officer to reduce their sentence. The use of the simile "like a rabbit" emphasizes the speaker's vulnerability and powerlessness in the situation.
The poem takes a surreal turn in the next stanza: "His face was hidden & his voice was big / & I was small, & as he spoke I grew." The officer's face is hidden, which creates a sense of unease and mystery. The fact that the speaker grows as the officer speaks further emphasizes the power dynamics at play.
The final stanza is the most enigmatic: "He kicked me then & spoke. I did not fall. / I said I love you, got up & walked." This ending is a stark contrast to the rest of the poem, which is full of tension and fear. Why does the speaker say "I love you"? Is it directed towards the officer or towards someone else? And why is the speaker able to get up and walk away after being kicked? These are all questions that the poem leaves unanswered.
Interpretation
Dream Song 95 is a prime example of Berryman's complex and layered style. The dreamlike quality of the poem allows for multiple interpretations. One possible reading is that the poem is about power dynamics and authority. The speaker is at the mercy of the police officer, who has the power to either reduce or extend their sentence. The fact that the officer's face is hidden suggests that authority can be faceless and anonymous. The final lines, where the speaker is able to get up and walk away after being kicked, suggest a sense of defiance and perhaps even triumph over the oppressive authority.
Another possible interpretation is that the poem is about love and vulnerability. The line "I said I love you" is unexpected and out of place, but it could be read as a moment of vulnerability and honesty. The fact that the speaker is able to get up and walk away after being kicked suggests a resilience and strength that comes from love.
The surreal and enigmatic nature of the poem also allows for a more personal interpretation. Perhaps the poem is about a specific incident in Berryman's own life, but it is impossible to know for sure. What is clear, however, is that the poem captures the feeling of being stuck in a situation that is both familiar and strange, and the uncertainty and ambiguity that comes with trying to make sense of it.
Literary Criticism
Let's take a closer look at the literary devices that Berryman uses in Dream Song 95. One of the most striking aspects of the poem is the use of repetition. The phrase "I did as I was told" is repeated twice, which emphasizes the speaker's obedience to authority. The repetition of the word "small" in the line "I was small, & as he spoke I grew" emphasizes the power dynamics at play. The repetition of the word "love" in the final line creates a sense of ambiguity and mystery.
Another important aspect of the poem is the use of imagery. The use of the simile "like a rabbit" emphasizes the speaker's vulnerability and powerlessness. The use of the phrase "gestured with his club" adds a layer of violence and aggression to the scene. The fact that the officer's face is hidden creates a sense of unease and mystery.
Finally, the poem's structure is worth noting. The use of three stanzas creates a sense of balance and symmetry. The fact that the final line is shorter than the others emphasizes its importance and creates a sense of finality.
Conclusion
Dream Song 95: The surly cop looked out at me in sleep is a complex and enigmatic poem that captures the feeling of being stuck in a strange and unfamiliar situation. Through the use of repetition, imagery, and structure, Berryman creates a sense of tension and uncertainty that leaves the reader with more questions than answers. The poem's dreamlike quality allows for multiple interpretations, which makes it a timeless and enduring work of American poetry.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Dream Song 95: The surly cop looked out at me in sleep is a classic poem written by John Berryman. This poem is a part of Berryman's Dream Songs, a collection of 385 poems that were published in 1969. The Dream Songs are known for their unique style, which combines elements of both traditional poetry and modernist literature. In this analysis, we will take a closer look at Dream Song 95 and explore its themes, structure, and literary devices.
The poem begins with the speaker describing a dream in which he is confronted by a surly cop. The cop is described as having a "thick neck" and a "heavy jaw," and he looks at the speaker with a "cold eye." The speaker is afraid of the cop and tries to run away, but the cop catches him and puts him in a cell. The speaker then wakes up from the dream and realizes that he is safe in his own bed.
The first thing that stands out about Dream Song 95 is its structure. The poem is written in free verse, which means that it does not follow a specific rhyme scheme or meter. Instead, the poem is structured around the speaker's thoughts and emotions. The lines are short and choppy, which gives the poem a sense of urgency and anxiety. The lack of punctuation also adds to the poem's disjointed and fragmented feel.
One of the main themes of Dream Song 95 is fear. The speaker is afraid of the surly cop in his dream, and this fear is palpable throughout the poem. The cop is described in menacing terms, with his "thick neck" and "heavy jaw." The speaker's fear is also evident in his attempts to run away from the cop. This fear is not limited to the dream world, however. The speaker wakes up and realizes that he is safe in his own bed, but the fear lingers. He describes himself as being "shaken" and "terrified," and he wonders if the cop will come back.
Another theme that is present in Dream Song 95 is the idea of imprisonment. The speaker is put in a cell by the cop in his dream, and this cell represents a kind of psychological imprisonment. The speaker is trapped by his own fears and anxieties, and he is unable to escape them. This theme is reinforced by the poem's structure, which is choppy and disjointed. The lack of punctuation and the short lines give the poem a sense of being trapped and confined.
Dream Song 95 also makes use of several literary devices. One of the most prominent of these is imagery. The cop is described in vivid detail, with his "thick neck" and "heavy jaw." This imagery creates a sense of menace and danger, and it helps to reinforce the theme of fear. The poem also makes use of metaphor. The cop is described as having a "cold eye," which is a metaphor for his lack of empathy or understanding. This metaphor helps to create a sense of distance between the speaker and the cop, and it reinforces the idea of imprisonment.
Another literary device that is used in Dream Song 95 is repetition. The phrase "surly cop" is repeated several times throughout the poem, which creates a sense of unease and anxiety. The repetition also helps to reinforce the theme of fear, as the cop becomes more and more menacing with each repetition.
In conclusion, Dream Song 95: The surly cop looked out at me in sleep is a classic poem that explores themes of fear and imprisonment. The poem's structure, which is choppy and disjointed, creates a sense of urgency and anxiety. The use of imagery, metaphor, and repetition helps to reinforce these themes and create a sense of unease and tension. Overall, Dream Song 95 is a powerful and evocative poem that continues to resonate with readers today.
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